Jeff and David – The History of Personal Computing

State of the Podcast

Posted on August 24, 2015 by Jeff and David

There’s no hiding it now… the podcast is definitely LATE with the next show!

The last show was released in early May, about the time the warmer weather of the Spring season started to roll in. Around that time, David was moving forward in his career and things were starting to get busy for him. I was looking forward to being able to get moving on long needed repairs around the house that I could not do while it was cold. Well, I wasn’t “looking forward” to actually doing the work, just having the opportunity to get them taken care of. Try as we could, there was no getting around scheduling conflicts where we could record together, much less get the recordings edited and posted.

David is still going strong with his work and family life and opted to make those the priority in his life, and I respect that decision completely! As for me, I am beginning to settle down from the rush of summer and will consider a solo attempt for the continuation of this podcast. David and I both appreciate the positive comments and interactions we’ve received so far. There is still plenty of material to cover. I’ll do everything I can to continue the coverage while keeping it entertaining and informative. There is currently a set of show notes for the next episode that were planned for the May 24, 2015 episode. I will be reviewing them, revising as needed to fit a solo format, and will commence recording. I look forward to continuing the presentation of the intended timeline.

Thank you,
Jeff Salzman

Texas Instruments TI-99

Posted on March 28, 2015March 28, 2015 by Jeff and David

Texas Instruments has always been a leader in microprocessor technology. After a few years as a top manufacturer of electronic calculators using their custom microprocessor technology, and a foray into minicomputer systems using their 16-bit TI-990 processors, Texas Instruments decided to throw its hat into the ring of the home computer market in 1979 with the TI-99 computer system. Continue reading “Texas Instruments TI-99”

Atari 400 and 800

Posted on February 13, 2015March 12, 2015 by Jeff and David

Atari began development of the 400 & 800 in 1977, using the code names Candy (400) and Colleen (800). Rumor has it that these names came from some “hot” secretaries there at Atari. Candy was originally intended to be the next generation of the video game system, to replace the VCS. Colleen was intended to be the true home computer with all the bells and whistles that would make it superior as a computer to Candy, including peripheral ports and expansion capability. Some people may not know that there was actually a third machine being designed at the same time called ‘Elizabeth,’ which was the Colleen design but with a built- in 13 inch color monitor. Continue reading “Atari 400 and 800”

Sinclair ZX80

Posted on January 30, 2015March 2, 2015 by Jeff and David

What happens when you strip most of the metal from those earlier homebrew computers, toss in a third-party Z-80 clone CPU, and have what’s left expertly bound together by a disciple of a miniaturization luminary? You get the compact ZX80 personal computer!

The Sinclair ZX80 was released in 1980 and was arguably the first British personal computer, though the company had previously released the MK14 in 1977, and Acorn had released a similar product, the System 1 in 1979. However, both of those were simply single-board computers and the ZX80 was complete in a case. It was named after its CPU, along with an “X” for “the mystery ingredient.” Clive Sinclair (now Sir Clive) willed it into existence at Science of Cambridge, his company later be known as Sinclair research. It was targeted to individual, ordinary users, and it was the first British micro to go on sale for under £100. It was available in kit form for £79.95, and as a ready-built version for £99.95. Some 50,000 would be sold before the ZX80 was discontinued in 1981. This was significant, and the UK lead the world in personal computer ownership throughout the 1980s. It was succeeded by the barely different ZX81 in 1981, which was also sold in the US as the Timex Sinclair 1000. The ZX series of computers went on to sell over 1.5 million units by 1984, before being discontinued. A large cottage industry of programs, magazines and products arose around it. This commercial success made Sinclair Research one of Britain’s leading computer manufacturers and earned a fortune and the eventual knighthood for the company’s founder. Continue reading “Sinclair ZX80”

Sharp MZ-80K

Posted on January 30, 2015February 11, 2015 by Jeff and David

Debuting in Japan in 1978, then in Europe in 1979, the Sharp MZ-80K series of computers were some of the most popular personal computers in those regions. The series continued well into the mid-1980s. Its name stands for “M” as in microcomputer and then “Z-80” for the microprocessor that it uses. From the first model to the MZ-2200 released in 1983, all of the MZ series included the CPU, monitor, keyboard and tape recorder in a single unit, similar to the early Commodore PET. Continue reading “Sharp MZ-80K”